Manchester City could still seek to tickle United’s ribs with the little-and-large combination of Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko on Saturday.

Both Blues strikers scored on their last appearances at Old Trafford, but £27million man Dzeko started on the bench as they beat West Brom 3-0 on Saturday to bounce back into the title race.

That raised a few eyebrows, some City fans taking it as a sign that the Bosnian and the Argentine may not have knitted too well as a strikeforce.

But first-team coach David Platt says that is simply not the case, and Dzeko was given a break after an intense burst of football at the start of his City career – and indicated that both men could be in the XI which lines up against the Reds in four days’ time.

Manager Roberto Mancini has juggled his front players in a bid to find the right blend, with Dzeko initially starting as the main man up front and Tevez tucked in behind.

That did not work in the first half of the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa, so Tevez was switched to his more familiar front-running role – and the Blues were unlucky not to gain at least a share of the points in a more purposeful second-half showing.

Since then, Dzeko has looked like he is feeling the pace after a hectic introduction to the Premier League – and that is the sole reason he was left on the bench on Saturday, says Platt.

“I did some stats the other day and there are 108 days before the end of the season. If we achieve what we want to achieve in the FA Cup and the Europa League as well as the league, we will be playing every three to four days,” he said.

“Edin came here after practically a month off with the winter break in Germany, and has played four games in a short space of time.

“We felt it needed just one front man on Saturday, to give that point of reference to move the ball around. It was purely a tactical decision, but he remains exceptionally important for us.”

Tevez has already proved as thorn in the side of his former club, scoring against them in both legs of last season’s Carling Cup semi-final.

And Dzeko has a goal-a-game record against United, scoring for Wolfsburg in both group games in the Champions League – although both ended in defeat.

“I think he and Carlos sit alongside each other fine, and the gaffer thinks so as well,” said Platt. “They have looked as though they can play together well – in fact, I thought when Edin came on in the second half against West Brom we stepped on our game a little bit more. We hadn’t started the half well, understandable when you are winning 3-0.

“Carlos drops off and when he does that at times we haven’t got anyone else in there. Edin gives the opposition another problem in forward areas.

“The two of them also look good together in training, so I don’t see it as a problem.”

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